Method of mounting a bushing to a container closure

ABSTRACT

A method of inserting a bushing into a collar in an opening of a container. The bushing has a thickened portion which engages the collar and a bottle neck shaped outer portion with a radially extending outwardly flanged edge adapted to be bent over the free edge of the collar to tightly grip it, preventing relative rotation. The method includes pushing the bushing into the collar so that its base engages the interior of the base of the collar and the bushing outer portion extends beyond the collar free edge and applying pressure radially outwardly on the inner surface of the bottle neck portion to bend the flanged edge toward the collar free edge.

i451 July 1s, 1975 United States Patent Ragettli PAUNWJUL 15 v3.75

SHEET PATENTE() JUL l 51975 SHEET METHOD OF MOUNTING A BUSHING TO A CONTAINER CLOSURE This is a division of application Ser. No. 237.266, filed Mar. 23, 1972, now abandoned.

The invention relates to a bushing adapted to be installed in an opening in a wall, such as a container wall, that opening being surrounded by a cylindrical collar, the bushing comprising an internally threaded portion and an end portion of reduced thickness with a joint to said first portion, the upper edge of which is bent over the upper edge of the collar of the opening.

Internally threaded or like bushings of the type described are generally applied in closure devices for containers whereby the threaded bushings are inserted and fixed into the collar surrounding the fill or discharge opening and subsequently a screw plug is screwed into the bushing after which the hole eventually is covered by a capseal; it is also possible to connect a pipeor hose-coupling to this bushing.

Prior art threaded bushings are manufactured from sheet material, and usually comprise an internally threaded pipe portion, extending from a flange provided with fixing means, such as polygonal shape of the flange, or protruberances and the like. An example of this kind of bushing is disclosed in U.S. patent specification 1,982,144. The bushings of the prior art are inserted into the wall opening so that octagonal flange for example is received into an octagonal opening impressed in the wall portion of the collar around the wall opening. The octagonal shape of the bushing flange and the octagonal shape of the bushing wall prevent rotation of the bushing when it is inserted into the opening. This known construction is generally satisfactory and is in common use. However, when the container has to be provided with an internal lacquer coating the flange sometimes may present some difficulties because it is difficult to cover all edges completely with lacquer and to seal the interstices with lacquer.

lt is thus an object of this invention to provide a better construction which overcomes the aforesaid di'iculty.

According to this invention, this object is attained in that the bushing consists of a tubular piece and that the external diameter of the internally threaded portion is such that this portion fits with slight clearance in the opening collar and that an upwardly extending end portion of reduced thickness is bent inwardly into the shape of a bottle neck and is provided with a radially outwards flanged edge, the lower edge of the bushing being flanged outwardly.

The bushing according to this invention may be cut from a tube or may be manufactured from a molded piece from steel sheet. The bottom edge of the bushing is provided with a short outwardly extending shoulder in the form of an upset or flanged edge of the bushing which provides for an abutment against the interior surface of the container wall when the bushing is inserted into the opening.

Since it is unnecessary to shape the bushing, for example, as an Octagon, this results in a considerable saving.

The threaded bushing according to this invention fits with slight clearance into the opening of the collar. After being inserted, the bottle neck shaped inwardly bent end portion of the bushing is pressed radially outwards, so that the bushing is clamped directly against the interior surface of the collar, after which the upset upper edge of the bushing is turned over the upper edge of the collar. The threaded bushing applied in this manner snugly fits with its outer surface in the internal wall of the collar of the opening so that a good leak-proof joint between the threaded bushing and the wall of the collar is obtained. The upper edge of the end portion is bent outwardly in such a way that during the outwards bending it is turned over the upper edge of the collar and closely encloses this collar edge so that the threaded bushing is secured in the opening. Because the bottle neck shaped end portion is bent outwardly by applying only radial forces and directly at the beginning of this bending this portion is clamped against the collar wall, the risk of deforming of the threaded bushing owing to axial forces is avoided. After the bottle neck shaped end portion is bent outwardly against the collar wall of the opening, the upper edge of the end portion which is turned over the upper edge of the collar can subsequently be pressed against the collar by applying relative reduced axial forces to bring the bushing edge into tight engagement with the upper edge of the collar. Because the bushing closely abuts the upper edge of the collar, this pressing only results in an increase of the tightness of the engagement without substantial axial forces being exerted on the remaining part of the bushing,- Further the threaded bushing according to this invention has the advantage that it is no longer always necessary to provide the wall of the container with special means to prevent rotation of the bushing. Because the bushing according to this invention is well enclosed, a flange is no longer required. The threaded bushing according to the invention is, in particular, suitable for applying to barrels which have to be provided with an inner coating, because the threaded bushings do not have sharp projecting portions.

lt is advantageous to provide the present threaded bushing with further means to prevent rotation thereof. An appropriate means for preventing rotation of the threaded bushing is a milling or toothed cutting on the external radially outward flanged upper edge of the bushing.

During the pressing of the upper edge of the end portion of the bushing against the upper edge of the collar, the millings or teeth cuts in the upper edge are pressed into the material of the collar, thus preventing rotation of the bushing in the opening. ln addition to this effect, the millings or teeth cuts provide an improved joint between the threaded bushing and the collar.

This invention also relates to the method of applying a threaded bushing into a collar surrounding the opening in a wall, according to which method a threaded bushing is pressed from below into the collar until the lower edge of the bushing abuts against the inner surface of the collar of the container wall this method being characterized in that a bottle neck shaped end portion is pressed radially outwards against the inner surface of the collar, after which the radially outwards upset upper edge of the bushing is expanded further and thereby is laid over the upper edge of the collar.

A very suitable method for applying the threaded bushing according to the invention is obtained when the inwardly bent bottle neck shaped end portion is pressed radially outwards by means of a conical mandrel which is inserted from above into the bushing positioned into the collar, the mandrel having an increasing diameter in the upward direction so that the outer face of the mandrel during its downward movement is continuously contacting the interior wall of the bottle neck portion in the region of the smallest diameter. After the threaded bushing has been inserted with slight clearance into the opening the conical mandrel is driven into the bushing from the opposite direction, whereby primarily the bottle neck shaped end portion is pressed against the inside of the collar of the opening, whereupon the flanged upper edge portion is bent over the upper edge of the collar.

The axial pressing of the upper edge of the bushing against the upper edge of the collar can be advantageously obtained in that the upper edge of the bushing, after being completely bent over the upper edge of the collar of the opening is axially pressed against the upper edge of the collar by means of a radially outwards projecting shoulder on the mandrel.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, given by example only, of a preferred embodiment in which:

FIG. l shows a view of a threaded bushing according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged longitudinal section through a wall of the threaded bushing according of FIG. l',

FIG. 3 shows the threaded bushing of FIGS. l and 2 installed in the opening of a container wall;

FIG. 4 shows a threaded bushing of FIGS. l and 2 in the opening of a thin-walled container.

FIG. 5 shows a section similar to FIG. 2 ofa modified embodiment the bushing of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 shows the bushing of FIG. 5 in its ultimate position and combined with a labelring.

FIG. 7 shows a section similar to FIG. 6 of a modified embodiment of that figure.

The threaded bushing of FIGS. l and 2 has a cylindrical portion I internally provided with threads 2, the outside diameter of the cylindrical portion l is such that this portion fits with slight clearance intola cylindrical opening of a container wall. The threaded bushing is provided at the upper side with a bottle neck shaped inwardly bent end portion 3 with a radially outwards flanged upper edge 4. At the bottom the threaded bushing is an outwardly directed thickened edge 6. The outside of the threaded bushing, in the region where the bottle neck shaped inwardly bent end portion 3 passes into edge 4 and the lower surface of the outwardly bent edge 4 are provided with a tooth cut 5.

In FIG. 3 the threaded bushing according to FIGS. l and 2 is shown in the opening of a container wall, section that being shown through the bushing and a wall portion of the opening of a relatively thick-walled container. The threaded bushing according to FIGS. I and 2 is inserted from below into an opening of a container wall 7, that container wall being provided with an upstanding collar 8, the internally threaded portion 1 of the threaded bushing abutting practically against the wall of the collar 8. The bushing is pushed into the collar 8 until the thickened edge portion 6 of the threaded bushing abuts against the interior of the portion of the wall 7 at the region where this portion is connected to the collar 8. ln the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 a gasket 9 has been applied, preferably extending as a continuous layer across the complete exterior of the bushing between wall-portion 6 and edge 4. When the threaded bushing has been applied in this manner into the collar 8, it has the shape as indicated with dotted lines in the drawing.. indicating thatthe bottle neck shaped portion 3 with the edge 4 still have the original shape.` After the threadedbushing has been applied, a conical mandrel 10 is inserted from above into the bottle-neck shaped portion 3 and during downwward movement of the mandrel l0, the bottle-neck portion 3 with the edge 4 is bent outwards whereby primarily the lower section of the portion 3 abuts against the interior wall of the collar 8 and subsequently the end position is reached as indicated in FIG. 3 with shading. The flanged edge 4 can during this bending operation, be turned partly over the upper edge of the collar 8, for example into the position indicated with 4'. On this moment, the mandrel 10 is in the position indicated by l0'. Mandrel l0 is provided with a shoulder ll extending radially over the edge 4. When the bottle-neck shaped portion 3 abuts against the collar 8 the mandrel 10 is in the position l0' and the shoulder 11 in the position Il' contacting the upper side of the portion of the turned edge portion 4 (Position 4'). When the mandrel l0 is moved downwardly from position 10 to position I0 (in full lines) the edge 4 is pressed from position 4' over the upper edge of the collar 8 by means of the shoulder 1l which is moving from position 11' to position ll. During movement of the shoulder from position 1l' to position l1 the edge 4 is moved from position 4' to position 4" and the teeth cut 5 is pressed into the upper edge of the collar 8 (position 5"). When the threaded bushing has been applied in this manner the mandrel l0 is withdrawn. The threaded bushing applied in the manner according to FIG. 3 snugly tits through the gasket 9 with the greater part of its outer surface within the collar 8 and is secured against rotation by the gripping of the teeth cut S into the upper edge of the collar 8.

In FIG. 4 a construction and method is shown for applying of the threaded bushing according to FIGS. l and 2 into the opening of a thin-walled barrel. In this method the barrel wall l2 connected to the collar I3 of the opening in the barrel wall through a portion 14 the shape of which is adapted to the outer shape of the threaded bushing in the portion where the edge 6 turns into the internally threaded portion 1, so that on insertion of the threaded bushing into the collar 13 the thickened edge 6 snugly abuts against the portion 13 without room between these portions, and should be provided with a gasket, such as the gasket 9 in FIG. 3. The collar 13 in FIG. 4 is extending further upwardly than the collar 8` of the thick-walled barrel in FIG. 3, so that during bending of the bottle-neck shaped portion 3 with the edge 4 of the threaded bushing, the upper portion l5 of the collar I3 is turned outwardly simultaneously with the turning of the edge 4. The edge 4 grips the teeth cut 5 into the bent portion of the upper portion 15 of the collar 13, so that the bushing is also sealingly engaged with the bent portion of the collar 13. The principal sealing forces are that the bushing is clamped radially in the collar during the expanding operation by means of the conical mandrel and the pressure in the teeth cut; This sealing is more reliable for heavier containers than for thin container walls. In practice` a sealing layer is always applied, which gives a practically good sealing.

lt is noted that the threaded bushing according to the invention is used particularly for barrel closures whereby in the threaded bushing a screw plug is screwed and the hole is sealed by a capseal. Further, a socalled labelring can be applied which is fixed by the bent and pressed upper edge of the bushing and whereby the upper edge of the labelring can be gripped by the milling or teeth cut of the threaded bushing causing an additional holding.

In FIG. 5 a threaded bushing is shown which differs from that shown in FIG. 2 in that instead of the milling 5 two milled edges 16 and 17 are provided. These two milled edges can be manufactured easier than the two mutual perpendicular edges 5 according to the embodiment of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 shows the bushing according to FIG. 5 after the upper edge 18 has been flanged around the collar 19. The collar is surrounded by a labelring 20 of which the heighth is somewhat less than the heighth of the collar 19. The milling 16 functions in the same manner as the milling S in FIG. 3. The milling 17 only acts on the labelring and prevents rotation thereof.

The variant shown in FIG. 7 comprises a threaded bushing which is which has only one milling 2l on the same location as the milling 16 in FIG. 5. However, the length of this milling is such that the milling gripps the upper edge of the collar 22 as well as the upper edge of a labelring 23.

What we claim is:

l. A method for inserting an internally threaded bushing into a collar, the bushing having a normal wall thickness at its mid-section, an outer portion of a thickness, less than said normal thickness, which is bent inwardly in the shape of a bottle neck with a radially extending outwardly tlanged edge and a base having an enlarged thickness relative to said normal thickness;

the collar having a base portion and an outer free edge; the method comprising pushing the bushing into the collar so that its base engages the interior of the base portion of the collar and the bushing outer portion extends beyond the collar free edge; and

applying pressure radially outwardly on the inner surface of the bottle neck portion to bend the outwardly extending bushing flanged edge toward the collar free edge.

2. The method of claim l including inserting a conical mandrel into the bushing to apply said radial pressure, the mandrel being so shaped that during its inward movement, it is continuously contacting the interior wall of the bottle neck portion in the region of smallest diameter.

3. The method of claim 2 including applying axial pressure to the upper edge of the bushing after it has been forced radially outwardly by means of a radially outwardly projecting flange on the mandrel.

Il' l 1li llt UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT No. 1 3,894,331

DATED 1 July l5, 1975 rNvENToRts) christian RAGETTLI It is certified that error appears inthe above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Item [73] Assignee should read as follows:

['73] Assignee: KONINKLIJKE EMBALLAGE INDUSTRIE VAN LEER B V. Amstelveen, The Netherlands Signed and Sealed this A ttest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Altesting Officer Cummissiuner nfParenrs and Trademarks 

1. A method for inserting an internally threaded bushing into a collar, the bushing having a normal wall thickness at its midsection, an outer portion of a thickness, less than said normal thickness, which is bent inwardly in the shape of a bottle neck with a radially extending outwardly flanged edge and a base having an enlarged thickness relative to said normal thickness; the collar having a base portion and an outer free edge; the method comprising pushing the bushing into the collar so that its base engages the interior of the base portion of the collar and the bushing outer portion extends beyond the collar free edge; and applying pressure radially outwardly on the inner surface of the bottle neck portion to bend the outwardly extending bushing flanged edge toward the collar free edge.
 2. The method of claim 1 including inserting a conical mandrel into the bushing to apply said radial pressure, the mandrel being so shaped that during its inward movement, it is continuously contacting the interior wall of the bottle neck portion in the region of smallest diameter.
 3. The method of claim 2 including applying axial pressure to the upper edge of the bushing after it has been forced radially outwardly by means of a radially outwardly projecting flange on the mandrel. 